A confession on Harmony

As may or may not be implied by my pseudonym, there's little that is more instantly appealing to me than Harmony. Yes, the capitalization is intentional; I mean Harmony in all its forms.

The Free Dictionary has a bunch of definitions for harmony, but here are my highlights:
- An orderly or pleasing combination of elements in a whole
- A combination of sounds considered pleasing to the ear, as in music
- A relationship characterized by a lack of conflict or by agreement, as of opinion or interest

And yet Harmony is much more than a philosophical idea, or an aspect of musical theory, or a social construct upon which a society thrives. It is, to borrow a descriptor from smarter folks than I, soulful. There is something about Harmony that resonates through one's inner being. Hearing a story about self-sacrifice or selfless love can make my entire day. A perfectly-tuned ensemble can make an entire room ring. And it is my firm belief that we could all use a little more harmony in our lives. We were made to appreciate beauty, order, and (you guessed it) harmony.

To that end, I'd like to share a few pieces of music that bring me the best kind of chills, no matter how many times I hear them:

Barbershop Quartet music. What can I say? Bass, Baritone, Lead, and Tenor. A history of intricate arrangements, comedy interwoven into the music, and wonderful talent. I can't help loving it. The clever editing of this PMV doesn't hurt either

This vocal acapella group takes the original song (which was then featured in the film Pulp Fiction, apparently? Never did see that ) and puts a unique spin on it.

Straight No Chaser started as a college acapella group, until their rendition of The 12 Days Of Christmas went viral. This may have changed since I saw them in concert a few years ago, but last I heard, they actively encourage the audience to take pictures and video recordings of the group to share on social media, since that's how they first got started. Even though the sound quality in this recording isn't the greatest, there's a spot near the end that always makes me smile. Some random audience members begin clapping in time with the music, and instead of simply ignoring them, the group claps along, and even the light technician gets in on the beat.

EDIT: This blog post was written mere minutes before I heard about the tragic attacks and loss of life in France. Rather than recant or temper what I wrote above, I believe more than ever that harmony is exactly what this world needs. The following video is ... well, I don't really know how to introduce it, but it's the only thing I can think of in response to the current crisis.